Home repair in Boise.

You can, and it is common. Check the model numbers against what is already there, keep the receipts, and leave the parts boxed until the job is done in case one has to go back.

Like-for-like swaps, such as a faucet or a light fixture on an existing circuit, often are handyman work. New circuits, moved supply lines and anything touching gas need a licensed trade. The rules vary by state, so ask before the job is booked.

Dated photographs taken before anything is cleaned up or repaired, and a written list of what was damaged. Take your own pictures first; your policy says what else the insurer needs from you.

If the lath behind it is sound, repair is usually the better choice: plaster is harder and quieter than drywall, and covering a failing ceiling with board hides the problem instead of fixing it. If the lath has failed over a large area, replacement is the honest answer.

Often. A double-hung sash is a repairable machine: cords, pulleys, putty and paint. A replacement window changes the look of the opening and may not last as long.